Mark Farris has over 36 years of experience in economic development in South Carolina and assisted in company location and expansion projects totaling over $7 billion of capital investment and 41,000 jobs during that time.
Mr. Farris was named President and CEO of the Greenville Area Development Corporation in September of 2014 where he leads the industrial and business recruitment efforts of the largest county in South Carolina. Since becoming GADC’s CEO, the organization has announced over $3 billion in new and expanded capital investment and over 12,000 new jobs. Recent initiatives include the expansion of available industrial sites and speculative buildings in Greenville County including Greenville’s first new Class A business park, implementation of an existing industry program and development of new web-based labor resources recruitment. He has served on the Board of the United Way of Greenville, Board of Directors of the Greenville Chamber and the Board of VisitGreenville.
After interning with the Anderson County Planning and Development Board in 1985, Mr. Farris was appointed Economic Development Manager and assisted in location and expansion projects that included The Robert Bosch Corporation, Wells Aluminum and White Consolidated Industries. In November of 1987, Mr. Farris became Director of the York County Economic Development Board where he led the industrial recruitment and existing industry efforts of York County including the development and implementation of an aggressive marketing campaign. During his tenure, industrial development projects included Daimler, Shutterfly, West Marine, Tyco, State Farm, US Food Service, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Fed Ex Ground, Northern Tool, Novant Health, CitiFinancial, Britax, Performance Food Group, Ross Stores, 3D Systems, Lash, LPL and Stanley/Black & Decker.
Mr. Farris holds a Master’s Degree in City and Regional Planning from Clemson University, as well as a B.A. in Political Science and Secondary Education. While at Clemson, he was a member of Tau Sigma Delta Honorary Fraternity, and Clemson University Dean’s List. He is also a graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute and achieved Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) status in 1993.
He is past-President of the South Carolina Economic Developers Association and past Director of the Southern Economic Development Council. Awards include the South Carolina Economic Developer’s Association BEDC Scholarship, The Charlotte Business Journal’s ‘Forty Under 40′ award, Area Development’s Thesis Award for “The I-85 Corridor of Economic Development in South Carolina” and Greenville’s 50 Most Influential People and Business Hall of Fame. He is also a graduate of Leadership South Carolina’s Class of 2000 and The American Leadership Forum Class 2007 from the Charlotte region. He is married to Erin R. Farris and has three grown sons.